Seeking Guidance
by neonate
Summary: [Sequel to Seeking Comfort] How does the budding relationship of Neji and Sakura fare as Gai laments, Hiashi throws a party, Lee investigates, Shino still gossips, and Chouji loses sleeps? Manga timeline pre-246.
1. Gai Laments

**Seeking Guidance**

Joint project BullyKilla and neonate.  
Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Lee, Gai-sensei, Hyuuga Hiashi, Shino, Chouji.

Summary: How does the budding relationship of Neji and Sakura fare as Gai laments, Lee investigates, Hiashi lectures, Shino still gossips, and Chouji loses sleeps?

**Disclaimer:** Legal disclaimer applied. Unfortunately until we learn how to make a proper one, you'll never see it here.

* * *

_This wacky tale of youth and romance is dedicated to_

_the invaluable readers and reviewers of _

_Seeking Comfort_.

* * *

It was a gloomy day indeed for one Konoha child. He woke up that day to find that his favorite toothpaste dried and done for. Most unfortunate, since his prided smile would not be as shiny and sparkly as it usually was. This troubled him greatly and he felt at unease. In his heart there was a growing dread that promised an unexpected, unwanted ominous happening that should occur that day. The child—Rock Lee as he was known to his friends and better elders—tried to shrug away the heavy feeling, but to no avail. He left home without even looking at the mirror twice. 

Walking to his destined training ground, he was overwhelmed with giddy stares and reluctant greetings from passersby he met along the way. Lee's smile faltered as his forced cheerful attitude crumbled and instinctively his hands flew to his hair to check for abnormalities. Feeling none, he sighed in relief. Lee would rue the day when, ever, one strand of his bowl-cut top was out of place. Utterly confused, but still with magnificent display of youthful flare, he strode forward, determined not to let his inner turmoil affect his training.

A deafening voice—"Lee, for the love of Hokage, stop where you are!"—halted the green-clad boy. He turned and reflexively fell to a fighting stance before recognizing his beloved sensei's figure.

"Gai-sensei? Good-" he began.

Before he could finish his polite 'good morning', the older man had rushed and enveloped him in a breathless bear hug, effectively drowning the rest of the sentence. "Ooh, Lee! My darling boy, I am so glad I've found you!"

If Rock Lee were a different and less unique child than he was, this display of genuine care and affection, not to mention suffocating, might send him running to the other direction immediately. As it was, however, he relished in the thought that his teacher was such an attentive man that greeted his student in a happy and loving manner. Although it _was_ slightly more explosive than usual, Lee admitted.

"Sensei, I-"

"Speak no more, my dear boy. There is something of great urgency that I must discuss with you. I take that you have not read the morning paper yet?" While saying this, Maito Gai stirred the unsuspecting Lee away from the crowd that began to form around them. Lee could not help but catch whispers and sideway glances directed to him, and instantly he sobered.

"No," he answered his teacher's question. "I have no time to read the paper in the morning, Gai-sensei. I need to practice!"

"Good, very good. Don't forget that youthful spirit of yours! Now, come with me."

"Sensei, what's so important?" Lee asked.

"Speak not of it here!" Gai whispered hurriedly. "It is best if we are alone when I tell you." The seasoned Jounin wondered how much destruction his cute, little Lee could cause when he heard about the news. Ah, youthful pains. 'Twas better if his favorite student (without any further pretense that there was no partiality from his behalf) was informed by a known and trusted figure, as Maito Gai saw himself to be.

That morning, when Gai had dazzled the newspaper boy as usual with his charming personality (and perfect, blinding white smile), the boy had cheekily implied about the impending doom that awaited one of Konoha's strongest rookie team. Love triangle, nonetheless!

The article in the front page of Konoha Shinbun that Gai subscribed to spoke for itself. But before that, above the short yet controversial piece of writing was one large colored picture of a couple, sitting leisurely under the shade of a big tree, caught in a tender moment. Gai had at once recognized the bare-chested boy to be his own tenacious disciple and Lee's teammate, Hyuuga Neji, from his coffee-colored hair.

Disbelief had been his first initial reaction, followed by a very loud cry of triumph. Finally, the spring of Neji's youth had arrived! He had began to worry that Neji was, well, _behind_ in his emotional development, seeing how disinterested the boy was with other people. How glad Gai was that he had been mistaken. Even Neji felt the heat of youth and embraced it wholeheartedly. _Look how free he is, shirtless and happy,_ Gai had fondly thought. But how was it a love triangle?

Then he read the article.

And realized that doom—for indeed, there was no other word fitting for the fate that surely would befall his much-loved team—was near.

He had, for quite some time, been aware that little Lee harbored some affection for a certain kunoichi from Hatake Kakashi's team. To be honest, he found that Lee's crush on Haruno Sakura quite cute. Secretly he had been cheering for his student because Gai remembered how it was to be young. The sweetness of youth!

But fate could be such a cruel mistress sometimes, because the girl _Neji_ was kissing in that picture was Haruno Sakura herself!

Neji, not Lee!

Gai could not imagine a worse scenario than this. He had to be the one telling Lee that the girl of his dream had been snatched away under his very eyes by his own teammate. If this didn't ruin the teamwork that they had been building for almost two years, Gai would gladly do laps around Konoha in pink tutu a thousand times. He had prepared the tutu, just in case.

Oh, the grief!

As quick as his mind darted back and forth between past and present, Gai led Lee away from downtown area to avoid the curious crowd. When they had arrived in a more secluded part of Konoha—somewhere very sparsely inhabited, Gai just couldn't take the risk—he made Lee swear not to kill anything or anyone. Lee nodded in solemn promise, though he was confused by his teacher's request. Knowing the boy's pledge was to be trusted Gai handed Lee the newspaper to read.

Several minutes passed in ominous silence.

Then suddenly large, gaping craters were formed all around the area.

- - - - - - - -

Somewhere in the village, at the same time, one boy was being heavily scolded by a middle-aged man with eerie silver eyes. In the middle of a spacious room where they sat facing each other, the tension was palpable. Head down, the boy wished for nothing other than a pair of earmuffs to block the screeching voice of his uncle, which grew steadily worse with every passing minute.

"The headline and that picture! It's on the front page of Konoha Shinbun, Neji! Do you understand how grave the situation is!"

The boy, Neji, nodded absent-mindedly. It had become an automatic response for him since the yelling had begun an hour ago.

"A disgrace to our name! What on earth were you thinking? Haven't I taught you anything!" the head of the Hyuuga clan bellowed.

"I'm sorry, Hiashi-sama," came his standardized reply.

"Apology is not enough, nephew. You must rectify this problem immediately, or the Hyuuga reputation will be tainted!"

"Yes, Hiashi-sama." An effective comeback, results guaranteed.

"And what is this nonsense of an article?'_The infamously impassive Hyuuga Neji was seen smiling and laughing along with his ladylove_?' Tell me, nephew! Is this true!"

Neji frowned. Now he had to answer because there was no constructed reply for this particular question. "I do not remember laughing."

"And the picture!" Hyuuga Hiashi shrieked. "Your upper torso was uncovered! Sacrilege!"

"Yesterday was an especially hot day," Neji answered calmly, though he was actually fidgeting a bit.

"But the picture made you look like a cover boy! Oh, for Hokage's sake, I couldn't believe I just said that…." Hiashi took a deep breath and gave himself a moment of silence before continuing in a hushed, grave tone, "Do you realize what this will do to our image?"

The Hyuuga boy gulped. Somehow his uncle's soft voice sent chills down to his spine and he could not ignore it. Neji _did_ know what the picture and the article would do to the Hyuuga clan's image.

"As Konoha's strongest and most noble clan, we cannot afford a lighthearted appearance, Neji. If other people see us like this," Hiashi flicked the newspaper with disgust, "they will stop respecting our capabilities as ninja! A Hyuuga male does not smile and laugh in public. He_ smirks, _if he must!"

"I understand, Hiashi-sama."

"And when he is with a lover in public, he will keep his hands to himself."

_Lover? Wait a minute…_

"Hiashi-sama, Sakura's not—"

"Because he is in control of his own emotions, like the good shinobi he is."

"Yes, but—" Neji tried again.

"Don't interrupt me, young man!"

"You misunder—"

"There will be no public display of affection unfitting of a Hyuuga male. Is that clear?"

"Yes. But, I—"

Hiashi raised a hand to stop his nephew and sighed. "Of course, the proper thing to do is introducing your woman to the family first. We do not need to know who you're dating from the _newspaper_, Neji."

At that moment, Neji's brain stopped working for the first time in his fourteen years. Tongue-locked, he couldn't even utter a squeak to counter his uncle's statement.

Hiashi took Neji's stunned silence as an affirmative response, and continued calmly, "After that, according to tradition, we can discuss about your engagement over dinner with her family. Oh my, we haven't invited anyone to dinner parties in _years_."

Reviving slightly from the shock, Neji sensed that he'd better set the misunderstanding right before his uncle started planning the wedding.

"The engagement can take years, as in my case, but do not worry about it. As long as the family approves, there—"

"I don't plan to marry her," Neji blurted, "and we're not in a relationship."

Hiashi blinked.

"We just met yesterday," Neji confessed, too late in noticing the dark scowl that began to form in his uncle's face. "I don't really know her before."

Hiashi's scowl deepened. "What about that picture then, nephew?"

Neji shrugged nervously. "We got carried away, I guess." He had never lied to his uncle before, but telling an angry Hiashi the whole truth would mean a fate far worse than death. Let his uncle assume that he had been dallying with Haruno Sakura. Neji couldn't possibly let his uncle know that he had_ fainted _because of a silly heatstroke and Sakura had cared for him while he had been knocked out. Fainting in public (without engaging in a fight) was possibly the most offensive act of weakness a Hyuuga male could do, and the consequences were unspeakable.

"So," Hiashi spoke dangerously, "you are telling me that you had indulged in an indecent behavior with an unknown girl in broad daylight?"

Hiashi made it sound like he had no scruples whatsoever, but Neji forced the lie through his teeth anyway. "Yes."

Silence.

"No dinner party then?" the Hyuuga elder asked tonelessly.

Neji shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Hiashi-sama."

Another silence.

"Nephew," hissed Hiashi venomously, "you have exactly three seconds before I use the Divine Punishment on you."

- - - - - - - -

Three hours and three seconds since Lee's fists had made the first contact with the dry earth, the ground around Gai's hiding place was dented everywhere. He understood that Lee needed to vent his frustration and anger in solace, so the considerate Jounin left him alone. Unfortunately, the depth of Lee's rage was mirrored in the depths of the craters he made. Gai considered telling the Hokage to name the newly deformed area a volcanic attraction site, even though there was no mountain to be seen. It would surely help the village's financial problems.

But when Lee cried and his tears formed a small pool of water that quickly evaporated under the blazing sun, Gai changed his mind. Maybe a site of hot water springs would be more appropriate and profitable, if only Lee would hit around some more. _Another income won't hurt._

The Jounin sighed. Konoha's economy wasn't his business, but it was so much easier to deal with compared to the problem at hand.

Poor Lee. He had just experienced his first heartbreak and how he suffered. It is never easy, but to have the girl you like snatched away by your own friend must've felt like a betrayal. How would this affect the boys' friendship?

Gai shuddered at the thought.

He didn't want to imagine what would happen if Lee confronted Neji, but the showdown would be inevitable. It would come.

Gai just hoped that he still had a team after everything was said and done.

He glanced for the last time at the still rampaging, tearful boy and shook his head sadly before going back to the village.

_He's still a kid, after all. _

- - - - - - - -

_Why?_

Crash. A crater.

_Why Neji?_

Thump. Another crater.

_Why him of all people? _

Rock Lee dropped to his knees, sniffling.

_He knows how I feel about her. He knows!_

Despair soon turned into anger. Lee wiped his eyes dry and clenched his dirty fists._ What does he know about Sakura-san? When has he shown any interest on girls, anyway? How could he do this to me! I thought we were friends!_

_Inconsiderate jerk, _Lee thought of Neji while sniffing his runny nose.

His thoughts came back to the first question that came up to his mind. _Why Neji?_

Lee started absentmindedly picking blades of dried grass. _Why does she choose him? What does he have that I don't?_

Lee paused, the grass forgotten. _Well, **a lot** I guess._ _But that doesn't mean that he's better than I am!_

Lee paused again. _Is he?_

Fear crept into his heart. _What does Sakura-san see in him? His…looks, probably? But what made her notice him now? _

Lee's clueless mind was filled with jumbled thoughts that he desperately tried to make sense. He searched his brain for possible recollections of anything that could possibly resemble Neji's or Sakura's interests in each other. He found none. Then why the sudden mutual interests? Lee couldn't help but think that there was something curious about their relationship.

The why's quickly added, along with Lee's growing jealousy. He was not a stranger to the emotion. There were times in the past when all he could feel was envy so overwhelming he thought that he could hate the world forever for being unfair. But every time he felt that way, he was reminded that his goal to become a shinobi was never impossible. Gai-sensei had made sure that his path existed, although paved with back-breaking hard work and pain that promised no time for a petty jealousy.

For Lee, there is a way to everything.

At that moment, he wanted nothing but to kick a certain prodigy's butt to the sun. Since the literal sun was still a bit too far, Lee settled with a mental image of him defeating Neji in a fight. The bit that he especially liked about his imagination was the look of disbelief and horror on his teammate's face.

_Yeah. That'll be sweet._

The problem was, it would take him years to make the appealing picture a reality and he didn't have years. Lee wanted to defeat Neji at that very moment.

(Or next week. Either way works fine, it's negotiable.)

After thinking several options thoroughly, Rock Lee came up with an ingenious solution. If he could not level Neji to the ground with his taijutsu, then he might be able to do it some other way.

_Surely even Neji has a weakness._

Ah, that made things so much simpler. If Lee could find out what Neji's weakness was, then he could probably beat him in there. If Lee wanted to be more creative, he could already picture his Sakura-san gushing about his victory over the cold-hearted jerk. Perhaps, after seeing his prowess, the pink-haired angel would decide that Lee was the better man to be with.

Perhaps.

Then suddenly a thought occurred to Lee. What if, mind you this was purely a speculation, _what if_ she was forced into the relationship? _What if_ Sakura-san was threatened to become Neji's girlfriend?

Lee froze.

He'd never thought of it, but it might be possible! _Neji is, after all, socially inept,_ Lee convinced himself. _The only thing he knows in this life is how to fight._

_What if,_ Lee's mind raced ahead, _what if Neji has been harboring some feelings towards Sakura-san but he does not know how to confess the proper way?_

_Oh, that makes so much sense!_

_He probably picked a fight with her! Sakura-san had to be scared to death so she agreed to that unnatural relationship!_

That did it. The matter now had become more than a mere rivalry over a girl. To Lee, it had become a mission.

A mission to save the damsel in distress! A mission to slay the socially awkward dragon who kept the princess imprisoned within its claws!

A rescue mission. Oh, yeah!

Now he had to find a way to defeat Neji.

Reinvigorated with determination, Lee started to plot.

_

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_

To be continued

_

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_

Our thoughts:

We started **Seeking Comfort** without any plan of making a sequel. As the story progresses, it acquires a life of its own and truthfully, it's impossible to fit the whole thing into the originally planned four chapters. What was once a merry, simple story has become a hybrid of a monster and a dominatrix of psychological drama. Sort of.

Thus, as we ended the first installment (pretty abruptly, sorry to say), we wanted to know the readers' opinions.

Countless revisions had been done in this chapter of **Seeking Guidance** to bring you the essence of what we're trying to convey, based on the story's whims. If let be, you would've been reading five-thousand-word chapter of Lee angst instead of the current one. Thank Ranier that your eyes don't have to suffer that fate! With a whip in one hand and a bottle of stolen sake in the other, he has sliced and diced this chapter into a presentable version. The still bleeding scars on our backs are proof of his dedication.

Of course, we're not perfect (because we're only slaves to the high and mighty muse, y'know) and may have made a lot of mistakes. If you spot one, you know what to do. (No, don't let the dogs out. Not that.) Tell us so Ranier can unleash his wrath upon these poor souls once again. Remember, there's always room for improvement.

Thank you for reading,  
BullyKilla and neonate.

Ps: Ranier, please, _please_ stop with the salt/vinegar treatment!


	2. Interlude: Hyuuga Neji 101

**Seeking Guidance**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13  
Characters: Neji, Sakura, Lee, Gai-sensei, Hiashi, Shino, and Chouji.

Summary: How does the budding relationship of Neji and Sakura fare as Gai laments, Lee investigates, Hiashi lectures, Shino still gossips, and Chouji loses sleeps?

**Disclaimer:** Since we failed last year's copyright negotiation, we are thinking of bargaining only for select characters. We'll definitely take Orochimaru-sama, so that when we do some evil deeds, we can blame it all on him. "Oro-chan made me do it, waa!"

* * *

Three days had passed since the picture of Konoha's hottest couple appeared in the front page of the Shinbun. Hyuuga Neji and Haruno Sakura became household names in no time. They were the number one topic discussed in teahouses, bath houses, and ramen houses. The Ichiraku owner proudly displayed to his other patrons a snapshot he had obtained when the famed Hyuuga Neji decided to drop by his establishment. Of course he omitted the fact that the Hyuuga prodigy had almost jumped at him at that time. 

To be brutally honest, being a small village Konohagakure didn't see that much of excitement, except the occasional murder attempts, coup d'état, and demonic attacks. But all of that paled in comparison to the matters of celebrity romance!

Neji and Sakura had decided to play along with everyone's expectation for their own reasons. To hide the truth about Neji's fainting incident, Sakura had lied to her parents, claiming Neji to be her boyfriend. She had done so to evade the wrath that surely would be bestowed upon her if her mother and father thought that their daughter was getting too friendly with a shirtless stranger.

As for Neji, he could not let Sakura bear the pretense alone, considering that he was the cause of her trouble. Despite what he had told his uncle, Neji finally decided that honor (and nothing else, really) required him to help her by being a good, convincing partner.

Their friends had been supportive, albeit confused, of their relationship. Yamanaka Ino was the loudest at proclaiming her support, bawling her eyes out when she had seen for herself that, indeed, Sakura had managed to snatch Konoha's most eligible junior bachelor. Neji's own teammate, Tenten, was calmer than Ino, yet it did not stop her from teasing the couple for hours. Although she did not say anything about Lee, Neji knew that the issue was in the back of their minds.

He had tried talking to Lee, only to be coldly ignored. Since then, Lee had disappeared from the places he usually visited. Gai-sensei assured them that little Lee was quite all right, but he would need some time alone. Neji understood Lee's choice well.

Chouji, whom Neji had owed some pearls of wisdom in the subject of love, had grinned proudly when he saw the couple one morning. He thought that he was the person responsible for setting them up. Neji could not tell him otherwise and just grimly accepted the hearty pat on the back.

And thus began the days of Hyuuga Neji and Haruno Sakura as a pretend couple.

- - - - - -

"The article made a fool out of me," Neji muttered. "And my uncle wasn't exactly pleased with it either."

"Nonsense. It is a small, harmless article and I think it's well-written," said Sakura. They were walking side by side around downtown Konoha during the less busy period of the day. Not many people were out after lunch hours, but they were recognized all the same. Some people smiled and waved at them, and Sakura pleasantly waved back.

"Small? Kyuubi's ass is small, _this_ is not. Your euphemism is disgusting," Neji huffed.

"Language, dear," Sakura chided. "I didn't know that you are easily affronted."

"Welcome to Hyuuga Neji one-oh-one," Neji said lightly, his good mood returned.

Seeing this she decided to play along and clapped her hands in enthusiasm. "Ooh, introduction class. Very nice. Hyuuga-sensei, I have a question!"

"Ask away, Haruno. But you'll soon see that I'm a very strict teacher. I don't grade easily."

"We're going to have _tests_?" she asked, bewildered.

He raised a fine eyebrow. "Sure, if that's your thing. Is that your question?"

"Nope."

"Then what is it?"

"Hm, I decided not to ask you now," she said.

"Keeping secrets from me, eh?" Neji scoffed. But as he said it, he noticed how relaxed he was with the girl beside him. She didn't seem to mind him that much either. They bickered like they were old friends and she was the first person that he had ever allowed to see this other side of him.

Not even Lee or Tenten had ever managed to get a satisfactory reaction from him with their jokes. They were his teammates, people he fought side-by-side and he could not let them see his more empathetic side as it signaled weakness. Their bonds were strong and Neji trusted them with his life, but it still didn't prevent him from being detached.

_Speaking about Lee…_

Suddenly Neji saw Sakura waving her hand in front of his face, smiling. "Hey, you spaced out a bit back there."

"I wasn't. I was just thinking about your first test," he lied.

"Already? Hard working, aren't we?"

"Of course." He looked around and noticed the people who start gathering around them. From the look of their enthralled faces Neji surmised that they thought Sakura and him were going on a date. Immediately he distanced himself from her, earning him a frown from his supposed girlfriend.

She sighed and shook her head. Sakura had her own concerns about being Neji's 'girlfriend', and his reclusive nature was one of it. She had been afraid that he would be hard to approach, but he proved her wrong again and again. Still, she was yet to pierce the barrier he erected around his heart.

Realizing that his action was a big no-no in the boyfriend manual, Neji quickly grabbed Sakura's hand and dragged her away from the crowd. "Let's go," he said.

"You're not very good at pretending, aren't you?" she teased softly, just so he could hear her.

"Be quiet."

"How rude," Sakura said, but her tone betrayed her amusement. She liked having Neji's hand around her smaller one. It was warm, and his bare, rough palm comforted her in a strange way. _It feels real_, she thought.

"Where are we going, Neji?" she asked after he had been leading the way for a while.

"If necessary, the end of the world where nobody recognizes us. I hate being gawked at all the time."

Neji couldn't possibly guess what effect his words had on Sakura at that moment. _He said he's taking me to the end of the world…just me._

_Girl_, a voice quipped, _you're helpless_.

Sakura sobered instantly.

"The end of the world is too far. How about stopping at that takoyaki stall? I'm kind of hungry," she said.

"Didn't you just have lunch, Haruno?" Neji asked.

"Stop giving me that look, Hyuuga. I know you're hungry too." She pulled him towards the little stall that promised generous helping of octopus-filled dough ball smothered in sauce. Neji relented and ordered two plates of steaming takoyaki. As always, he insisted on paying.

The first time they were out on an official date two days ago, Sakura had caught a glimpse of Neji's stubbornness. He was raised to be respectful of women in general, but he had a weird way of showing it. He absolutely refused to have Sakura pay for her meal if he was around. Sensing that he was dead serious about the matter, Sakura had let him have his ways, even though she thought that they were a bit old-fashioned.

As soon as they got their takoyaki, Sakura put half of her share onto Neji's plate. "I don't understand how boys can eat a lot and not get fat," she said.

"Haruno, are you trying to turn me into a pig?"

"How do you know? Darn, I thought my plan is fool-proof," said Sakura. She popped one dough ball into her mouth.

Neji had already swallowed his second takoyaki. "You did not calculate the superior metabolism of the Hyuuga clan. What kind of kunoichi are you?"

"I'm still studying Hyuuga Neji one-oh-one, remember?"

Neji just shook his head, smirking. Whenever he made a smart remark, she was always ready with a retort. He found that part of her interesting, as interesting as the sauce that smeared her upper lips.

Without thinking, he raised his hand and wiped it away from her face. But a jolt of sensation caused him to withdraw his touch at once. Sakura blushed a distinct shade of red, and he felt his own cheeks warming.

"Sor—" he began, but caught himself in time.

She coughed lightly. "It's fine." Quickly she ate another takoyaki and Neji followed her example.

The rest of the meal was passed in silence.

- - - - - - -

The couple didn't notice that they had been followed for quite some time. Too absorbed in their own private world, they failed to detect the presence of one conspicuous green-clad boy.

Lee moved stealthily, jumping from shadow to shadow, while his big eyes were fixed on the unguarded pair. He saw Neji touching his Sakura-san's cheek and a surge of jealousy burned inside him.

_How dare he!_

Lee's thought went back to an earlier episode he'd just witnessed. He'd seen his teammate (soon to be ex-teammate, thank you very much) dragging the gentle Sakura-san along the street. What a rude and inappropriate way to treat a lady!

If Lee wanted to humiliate Neji, he needed to find his rival's weakness soon. So far after two days of investigation, he had found nothing of importance. It seemed that Neji was without any flaw.

And something didn't quite add up. It also didn't seem like Sakura-san was quivering with fear around that thief Hyuuga. Lee might've seen a little smile on her bright face. Was it possible that Neji knew how to act around girls after all?

_No, impossible!_ Lee shook his head furiously. _What am I thinking?_

All previous evidence had supported the fact that Neji was severely lacking in the people department. If he showed the tiniest amount of apt social behavior, that would mean there was a chance that Sakura-san was not forced against her will after all.

Lee just couldn't face that possibility. If he did, his world would need a major renovation and he didn't think that he could handle it. It was too much.

Thus he kept his focus clear. Investigate Neji's weakness and use it to beat him.

_If there's a will, there's a way,_ he repeated that proverb inside his mind over and over again.

In a stroke of good luck, Lee noticed something that most people would've missed. At first he thought that it was nothing special, but the thought bugged him continuously. His curiosity piqued, Lee moved in closer and saw it himself. A question then popped out.

_Why are they sitting so far apart?_

- - - - - -

"Gai-sensei postpones all training until next week," Neji began, breaking the stretched silence. He was still eating the last of his takoyaki.

Sakura put down her empty plate. "Lee is still missing?"

"Not wanting to be found, more likely," Neji said.

"I'm sorry, Neji." She sighed. "I dragged you into this and now Lee's angry with you."

He waved her comment aside. "Stop it. Things happened and it's not entirely your fault."

She nodded, knowing that he didn't want to discuss it further, and changed the topic. "So, what are you going to do with a week to spare?"

"Helping out my uncle, probably. He mentioned something about needing my help in the house," Neji said. "So, how's your training with the Hokage?"

"Erh…"

"What, Haruno?"

In a small voice she said quickly, "She also gave me a week off."

Neji almost rolled his eyes in disgust. There was no mistake that both teachers had collaborated to give them some 'quality time' together. Gai-sensei was a romantic at heart, Neji knew well, but the Hokage herself? He would never guess.

A week to spare, eh? He might as well use the time for something productive. Training? By himself? Sure, but it would get dull after one or two days. His uncle was in a very strange mood these days—ever since Neji told him about his new relationship with Sakura—and could not be bothered. Out of habit, Neji frowned and soon was lost in his own thoughts.

"Neji?" Sakura's voice broke his concentration.

"Hm?"

She bent forward, flicked his forehead gently with two fingers, and smiled. "Don't frown."

He was about to retort, but Neji made a mistake of looking into Sakura's startling green eyes, and suddenly all coherent thoughts disappeared from his mind. He was caught and he could not tear his sight away from hers. Something beckoned him and he raised one hesitant hand to brush strands of pink hair that framed her features.

Neji ignored the thumping in his own heart and he saw how her expression had turned wistful.

Blood rushed to his cheeks, and his body would not cooperate with his already screaming common sense. _Stop, stop it, Hyuuga!_

He leaned closer.

As if guided by some unknown force, she leaned closer too.

- - - - - -

Lee was in panic. Well, actually 'panic' is a too mild of a word to describe what he was feeling at that moment. Frenzy, yes. Kawaii no Lee had a very urgent matter at hand. He had to stop a kiss from happening! With an impressive reflex, Lee threw a 'small' rock towards Neji and immediately fled the scene to avoid recognition.

He dashed and with his insane speed, in a second Lee was out of the Byakugan's field of vision.

- - - - - -

Neji sensed the rock coming and years of training enabled him to avoid the blow. He pushed Sakura down and dodged the rock just in time. It crashed to the ground with loud thud. The 'small' rock turned out to be a brick.

Neji swore under his breath and came to Sakura's side. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." She raised herself and turned her attention to the brick. "That's no coincidence."

"I couldn't catch the culprit, even with my Byakugan. Whoever that is, he must've ran away before I can sense the rock."

"Is that possible?"

"Yes," Neji answered, but he left the rest of his thought unspoken. He had let his guard down and this was the result. Furthermore, he had a very good guess about the rock-thrower's identity. He should've known better.

A tug on his shirt brought his attention back to Sakura. "Hey," she said, "it might not be him. Don't think about it."

Quickly he replied, "I wasn't thinking about Lee."

A pause.

"Who said anything about Lee?" Sakura smiled.

"You—"

"I think I just passed Hyuuga Neji one-oh-one. You're so easy to read, _boyfriend_," she teased.

Neji snapped, "And you, _girlfriend_, have a bad habit of gloating." He shuddered involuntarily and made a revolted gesture. "I just said that…word."

"Shocking." Sakura said in a bored tone. "Oh, I know. Come to my house, my mom is making some pudding. It'll help cleanse the word out of your system."

Neji eyed her with a genuine surprise. He pointed at the empty plates of takoyaki. "Remember those? We just ate them."

"I still have to make a pig out of you, Hyuuga."

"If we get married, stay out of the kitchen, Haruno."

"But can I handle the money?"

"Just don't come near the kitchen. You're dangerous for my diet." He patted his stomach. It grumbled and Neji sighed. He extended his left hand and said, "I hope your mom doesn't mind my coming over."

She reached for his hand and wrapped her fingers around his, "Are you kidding? My mom loves it when we have a pig in the house."

"Yes, she must be glad that you're her daughter."

"Hyuuga," Sakura said, exasperated, "you're never a big boost of confidence."

Neji smirked triumphantly.

He just loved to have the last word.

* * *

Heed, fellow Naruto enthusiasts! 

Yes, yes. We want to see Neji and Sakura to spend some 'quality time' together too. For days, neonate has been hounding BullyKilla for more fluff, to which he always responds with a swift kick to the gut. "It will be done when it is done." Ouch.

We don't really know how many chapters this one is going to have. We'll just go with the flow, like always.


	3. Hiashi Throws a Party

**Seeking Guidance**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13

**Disclaimer:** There was a boy. A very strange, enchanted boy. They say he wandered very far. They lied. They totally lied. One magic day, when he passed our way, we kidnapped him, stole his Naruto, and wrote fanfics. Then he cried, "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is how to write a proper disclaimer!"

Damn him.

* * *

Chapter Three: Hiashi Throws A Party 

One fine day, just before noon, the world found an expressionless shinobi perched on top of his house's rooftop. He had been sitting there for a good hour or so, trying to escape his inevitable demise. The morning earlier, he had been clumsy. He knocked another of his father's butterfly collection over, and now it was in shambles. Thankfully the explosive tag was a dud so that he didn't have to explain (again) why a part of the house blew up.

Shino didn't know what'd come over him; things had been gone horribly wrong lately. He could not concentrate on his training, he ignored Wendell (his nicely recovering bumblebee from last explosion), and he even refused another lucrative offer from Konoha Shinbun to write more articles about Konoha's latest sensation.

After taking pictures of Neji and Sakura in secret, and writing the insanely famous article on the Shinbun, Shino had retreated to early retirement. He forsook the path of easy money and instead gave the rest of his earnings to his mother.

Thinking about it, his clumsiness had started since Haruno Sakura'd chased after him, two weeks ago. He'd thought that she knew about his involvement in her sudden popularity, and an inexplicable emotion had crept inside his usually guarded heart. Shino had run away from the kunoichi, but then he realized he was actually running away from that nameless feeling.

Now he knew its name. Guilt.

Shino sighed. He needed to regain his senses soon. Trivial things like guilt should not affect him if he wanted to become a good shinobi. The bugs knew that he was troubled, he could sense their restlessness. He clutched the front of his shirt and took deep, long breaths.

But a cheery voice suddenly threw him off his balance. "Good morning, Shino-kun!"

The Aburame kid's eyes went wide underneath his glasses. He recognized that voice! For days he'd been haunted by her image and the thoughts of impending death that surely awaited him if her 'boyfriend' knew what Shino had done. Involuntarily, he gulped.

_Relax, she may not know about it yet,_ he convinced himself.

Shino peered downwards and saw the pink-haired Haruno Sakura waving one slender arm towards him. She was smiling. He noticed that and released the breath he didn't know he was holding. _That's good_, he said inwardly. _I'll live._

"Good morning, Sakura," he greeted her.

"Nice day, isn't it, Shino-kun? This summer we don't have much breeze like today's," she said.

"Yes," he agreed.

"Your mom is really nice," she began. "She invited me for some tea and sweets just now."

Shino frowned. What was Sakura trying to say with all these small talks?

"I saw some baby pictures of you."

_Oh, shit_.

"And you were such a cute baby! So I told her that I'd like to see more of your pictures. Guess what she showed me?"

_No, no, no!_

"What's the matter, Shino-kun? Bugs got your tongue?" Sakura asked.

Shino shook his head vigorously. He was sweating inside his shirt.

"Your mom showed me pictures taken by _you_."

At this point, Shino was ready to end his misery. The bugs inside him were alarmed at this new development and they were vehemently against Shino throwing himself off the roof. _It's no good,_ Shino mentally said to them, _I'll die anyway_.

"You know what's strange, Shino-kun? I found a picture of _Neji and I_ in your album."

Silence.

Quietly Shino made his way down from the roof and approached the sweet-looking kunoichi. He bowed his head, defeated. When he'd finally stood in front of her, Shino had the expression of one who knew his own end was near. (It didn't differ that much from his usual face, mind you).

Sakura smiled triumphantly. "Good," she said. "I don't have to force it out of your mouth, after all. Now then, that makes things much easier." As an afterthought, she added, "And less messy, if you get my drift."

Shino nodded.

"Of course you're wondering what I am doing here, don't you, Shino-kun?" she asked.

"I assume you want my soul now, Sakura?" he said, readying himself.

Chuckling, she replied, "Oh, no. Nothing _that_ fatal, I assure you. I just want you to make another article like you did before," she told him. "Then I'll have your liver."

Shino couldn't believe his ears. She wanted him to do _what_?

Judging from Shino's almost non-existent expression, Sakura knew he was very, very confused.

"You heard me right, Shino-kun. I want you to write an article about my boyfriend and I," she said.

"Boyfriend?" he croaked.

"Yeah, the one who's capable of turning your intestines inside out and tied them as a bow on top of your head," Sakura said calmly, examining her fingernails.

_This kunoichi is blackmailing me!_ Shino thought.

"Why?" he finally asked her.

"Let's just say that I need someone convinced," she said. Her thoughts drifted to Lee and her heart went out to him, but she couldn't back out now. His snooping had made her uneasy. Even without Neji telling her, she could sense that he felt guilty about the matter, which was totally ridiculous considering that Sakura also had her share in the complicated situation. She hoped that by having another article published Lee would take the hint and back off.

Shino thought for a while, and tried to bargain. "What's in it for me? I'll end up a bloody mess, anyway."

"If you follow my instructions, I'll guarantee your safety," Sakura promised.

He thought for a while before extending his hand towards her. "Deal."

She grinned. "Here's my plan."

- - - - - - - -

"Girls like flowers," Chouji suggested between sips of ramen soup. "And they are crazy about small gifts."

Seating next to him under Ichiraku's shade was the other half of Konoha's most popular pair. "I can get flowers," Neji said, thoughtful.

The chubby boy gave him a look. "Not from your uncle's garden, mind you."

"Oh." Neji paused, as if he just realized something. "It's a herbarium, not a garden."

"Sure, I bet Sakura will be ecstatic if you give her a mushroom," Chouji said, exuding poorly hidden sarcasm.

"Then what should I get her?"

"I don't know. What does she need?"

Neji wasted no time before replying. "A new set of kunai."

"Very clever, Hyuuga, if you want her to rip you a new one with those kunai."

"Explosive tags, then?"

Chouji glanced at his stoic friend's face and heaved a great despairing sigh. "You're beyond help."

- - - - - - - -

The busiest street in Konoha held a variety of shops and establishments. Neji, not accustomed to doing his own shopping, stood at its entrance, looking mildly confused and feeling out of place. He was there for a purpose, but he didn't know where to start. Honestly, what would a fourteen-year-old shinobi buy his lady friend? He knew that the lingerie shop was out of the question (even thinking of it made him blush) and buying something from the weapon shop was equal to putting their pretend relationship to an early grave, as Chouji had so kindly pointed.

But he wasn't called the Hyuuga prodigy for nothing. Surely the process of buying a gift couldn't be that hard, compared to his previous missions. Right?

Absolutely.

With laden steps, he marched into one little shop and lifted the doorway curtain. A loud, welcoming "Irasshai-mase!" and the sight of other customers stopped Neji on his tracks. Suddenly the boy felt self-conscious. He'd not expected anybody else besides him and the surrounding inanimate objects. And with his recent front page picture still fresh in everybody's mind…

"Oh, aren't you that young master Hyuuga?" cooed one matronly customer.

Neji stifled a groan.

He made a polite gesture and excused himself out of the place. There had to be a store where he could browse and purchase his gift safely out of random strangers' curious glances, Neji thought. Considering his options, he made a beeline to the brightly painted shop across the street. It seemed quite empty.

A bell tinkled when he opened the door and to his relief, Neji noticed that the only customer there was him. He started walking down the aisles, only to be confused by the selections of goods displayed.

_Why are they all chopsticks?_

_- - - - - - -_

Haruno Sakura combed her hair for the second time, feeling quite nervous. Her bright red kimono sleeve swished around, following the motion of her arm. In less than an hour, she, with her parents, would be going to the Hyuuga estate to attend dinner. The invitation had come in the form of a scowling Neji two days ago. He'd quickly told them the details of the event, echoing his uncle word for word. Hiashi-sama requested the audience of both Haruno-san and their lovely daughter (Neji almost choked at the word 'lovely') on a casual dinner occasion.

Of course her parents had gladly accepted the invitation. It was, after all, important to make a good connection with their future in-laws. Not wanting to burst their bubble, Sakura had left the matter alone.

She checked her appearance once again and couldn't help feeling satisfied on how well the color of her embroidered kimono complimented her complexion and hair.

_Oh, yeah. Girl, you'll knock them out._

Sakura hoped so. She wanted to make a good first impression on Hyuuga Hiashi. She'd heard from Neji that Hiashi was a fair man, albeit a bit distant. Considering their positions in the Main and Branch House it was quite understandable. But why Hiashi suddenly wanted to meet his nephew's friends was beyond Sakura. Maybe he wanted to see the girl who had made such a disgrace of the Hyuuga boy. Then why the family dinner?

A clank on her window alerted the kunoichi on another's presence. She unlatched the window and let one sullen Aburame Shino in. He looked at her and nodded his approval.

"You look good."

"I have a mission tonight, but thanks," Sakura replied.

"I have the bug," he said.

"Wonderful. Show me where I should hide it," she said.

"Her."

"Pardon?"

"My bug's name is Edna," Shino said. Actually there was a very interesting history on how he'd come up with that name, but Shino didn't think that Sakura would appreciate the information at the moment.

Sakura blinked twice. "Sorry. Please show me where to put Edna."

He pointed at her pink tresses. "She can hide in your hair, if you'll just tie them up."

"Will she be able to her job, then?"

"No doubt," Shino said smugly behind his collar.

"Make sure you write a damn good article out of this," Sakura said, biting on a pretty green hairpin. Deftly she tied her hair into a knot and inserted the pin. "The cheesier, the better."

"Bend you head down a bit," Shino instructed. She obeyed and felt his fingers working on her hair. "If nobody notices it closely, Edna will look just like one of the beads on your pin."

"Perfect," Sakura said with a forced smile, fighting the urge to shudder.

_I'll _throw_ this hairpin after tonight._

- - - - - - - -

Outside the entrance to the Hyuuga estate, one boy was pacing back and forth from one end of the gate to the other. He was waiting for a group of people to come. It was his job to show them the way in, but he felt uneasy despite the simplicity of the task. Not even a fight to the death could shake Neji's countenance like this.

Deep in thought, he didn't pay special attention to the sudden shadow of one special Jounin behind him. Only when Neji felt the cold tip of kunai on his neck did he stop moving.

"What do you want, Kakashi-san?" he asked the older Jounin.

"Saa, you knew it was me all along. Why didn't you react?"

"Is there a need for that? Are you going to slice my throat now?" Neji huffed.

Kakashi removed and pocketed the kunai back. "From the look on your face, a quick slit may be a merciful thing to do."

If Neji was less respectful of his elders, he would have told Kakashi to shut it. Instead, he inquired what the Copy Nin was doing in front of the Hyuuga estate. He didn't expect the answer that came.

"Too see you," Kakashi said.

"Why?"

Kakashi's next answer came more brutally than the first one. The Jounin slammed the Hyuuga prodigy to the gate wall and with unmatched, lightning reflex he took a senbon and held it a hair-thin away from the boy's bare forehead.

"I don't care what the article said," Kakashi began, his breath eerily even, "but if you ever hurt her, or fail to protect her, you'll answer to me."

Neji nodded. He knew that the older man was serious. Too well he understood what Kakashi felt for Sakura, the last of his charge. Ninja come and go, dying like flies, but it still leaves a bitter aftertaste to those who had cared. He leaned forward, the senbon touching his forehead, and met Kakashi's uncovered right eye. Determined, Neji gripped Kakashi's pinning arm and shoved it away, ignoring the scratch the metal tip made on his skin and the droplets of blood coming out.

"I won't fail her."

"Good." Beneath his mask, Kakashi smiled, looking at the boy in front of him. He liked what he saw; a strong, reliable boy with stubbornness to match Sakura's.

But there was only one slight problem…

This boy might be a little _bit_ too young. Oh, he'd need lots of help.

With a discreet gesture only a professional smut reader could do, Kakashi took out a small bright-colored book, shoved it into Neji's hand, and whispered conspiratorially.

"Boy, have you ever heard of Icha Icha Paradise?"

- - - - - - -

Sakura was impressed, really. She didn't know that such a large amount of alcohol could be consumed in such short amount of time. Her father and mother's sloshed faces were indication enough, but she was especially intrigued by Hyuuga Hiashi and the other Hyuuga adults' ruddy cheeks. Despite the presence of underage teenagers, the alcohol had been flowing freely and endlessly. Sakura knew better than tried her luck on one sip, while Neji seemed to have a horrible experience with booze.

The meal had been excellent and the company pleasant. Even Hinata and her sister had been present for the actual dinner before excusing themselves after the sake had been brought out. Unfortunately, Hiashi had insisted that Neji and Sakura stay.

"No, no. The two of you, we'll talk later," Hiashi'd said, followed by a loud bellow from Sakura's father.

"Hyuuga-san! Don't you see that they're trying to have some time alone?" Another laughter.

At that moment, Sakura had been ready to jam a nearby ikebana arrangement into her father's mouth, anything to silence him.

But Hiashi had a warped sense of humor.

"As long as they don't discover the empty room upstairs!"

Silence. Then laughter erupted all around the table. Sakura felt her face flaming, there was no doubt that she was as red as her kimono. The adults had tears flowing steadily down their cheeks, and some breathless ones fell down, thumping the floor, saying "That's good, that's good" over and over again. Hiashi winked at his nephew before gulping down another glass of sake. Only Neji's sheer resolve had prevented him from strangling his uncle.

Now, after enduring several more suggestive jokes and rowdy anecdotes, the adults were close to being defeated by liquor. Exchanging several glances, Neji and Sakura waited for the right moment to bolt from that hell hole. Hiashi, however, was as slick as ever.

"Nephew, you've been looking at Sakura-chan all the time this evening! What's the matter? Can't wait to be alone?"

The proclamation was met with another round of laughter, good-natured whistling and clapping, and a few knowing smiles. If it was possible, Sakura would like nothing better than to bury herself under the tatami floor, but she endured it because Neji had not said a thing.

On the other hand, Neji had had enough. He couldn't stand seeing Sakura so embarrassed, and if he wanted to be honest, his uncle had hit a mark with his statement. He did want to spend some time alone with Sakura. What was wrong with that?

_You're _pretending_, Hyuuga. When you're pretending, you're not supposed to feel anything_.

Not for the first time in many days, Neji ignored that little voice.

But his uncle wasn't satisfied with only his own nephew to tease.

"Aah, Sakura-chan. What's wrong with your face? Why are you so red?"

The kunoichi in question let out an inaudible squeak and hid her face in her sleeves.

That was it. It was the last straw for Neji.

He stood up and hauled his girlfriend out of the room, covering her ears so that she wouldn't have to hear the cheers that followed their departure. The last thing he heard was his uncle's triumphant voice.

"I told you that boy is smitten!"

- - - - - - - -

Hand in hand they made their way to the deserted garden of the Hyuuga estate. He could feel her hand burning, and thought how her face had looked back there. She had to be mortified, and he wouldn't blame her if she came to hate his family in general.

Stopping at one large boulder, he faced her and cupped her hot face with his cold fingers. She was startled, but relaxed when she understood what he was doing. Slowly, she felt the warm blood draining from her face, thanks to Neji's cool hands. They stood there, unmoving, just breathing.

"Thank you," she whispered after a while.

"They were too rude," Neji said. Even though he didn't say it out loud, she knew that he was really apologizing for his family's behavior. But how could she stay mad at them when this boy held her so tenderly?

The darkness had set in, the garden lanterns were lit, and the summer fireflies gathered around the small pond at the end of the garden. The small lights hung around the bush and trees, creating a contrast with the dim surrounding.

"My parents seem to like your uncle," she said. She was watching the scattering of lights at one tree.

"They make good drinking buddies, if nothing else," he scoffed.

"I didn't expect your uncle to be so…open," she said.

"Neither did I," he said. At this, they both shared a chuckle. A drunk Hyuuga Hiashi was indeed a funny image, provided one wasn't his favorite target of the moment.

"Neji?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for getting me out of that room," she said.

He muttered something under his breath, and handed her a cloth-wrapped package. She accepted it, though confused, and untied the knot. Holding her breath, Sakura took the contents out.

And found out that she was holding a pair of chopsticks.

She paused a while before asking her supposed boyfriend, "What's this?"

He looked affronted. "Chopsticks, what else?"

"I know that. I mean, is this a gift for me?"

Neji gulped. "Yes."

"Oh," she said. Fondling the set on her palm, Sakura didn't know what to think. "Thank you."

"You don't like it," Neji said.

"No, of course I do," she said.

Neji shook his head. "I knew it was a bad idea. I shouldn't buy both sets."

"Don't say that, I—wait, you bought two sets?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Sakura asked.

He looked at her as if she'd said something incredibly stupid. "What am I going to use to eat?"

Sakura gaped at his answer. "You bought two_ identical_ sets for you and me?"

"Yes! Why are you asking me this?" Neji said, exasperated.

"Oh, Neji…."

What happened next was not in his plan. He'd predicted that she would either like or dislike the gift, and he would receive a simple thank you for his effort.

Oh, no, no. He wasn't prepared when she threw her arms around him and hugged him close. "Thank you, thank you," she whispered to his ear. He couldn't possibly know what his gesture had meant to her.

Her close presence wreaked havoc to his senses, and since he didn't know what to do, he let his arms sneak around her waist. When he pulled her closer, she didn't resist. He leaned his head on her shoulder and found that he liked it there. He also realized that he liked the scent of her hair, the shape of her earlobes, and the way she clung to him.

Neji's thought went back to Kakashi's threat and his own promise. This girl, now he understood, was his. And he would die before he failed her. His last thought before he kissed her forehead was how utterly helpless he was in front of her.

He sighed inwardly.

_What a dangerous thing this romance business is._

* * *

_To be continued_

* * *

Message from us: 

Hi all, sorry for the delay in update and thanks for your patience. :gives plushies: Got the worst case of writer's block, and RL's not helping. To make up for it, below is a deleted scene (you'll know why it's deleted after reading). You can skip it if you want.

Oh, if you are reading this straight from Seeking Comfort, take a break. Seriously. Rest your eyes for a while. All right, here's the deleted scene:

**I**

Neji felt a massive headache coming. It had been a terrible day for him. In the morning, he had witnessed his uncle's new hair color. It didn't sit well with his breakfast. Frankly, Neji had forgotten that he was the one who'd put the peroxide dye in Hiashi's new shampoo days ago. Needless to say that his uncle was less than thrilled. Platinum blond was _so_ not his color. It made him look pale.

Neji couldn't agree more.

Then nearing noon, he'd overheard some servants talking to each other about an upcoming dinner party. _Dinner party! _Those two innocent words set alarms ringing in Neji's head. His survival instinct took hold. Neji dashed to his uncle's study and demanded an answer from the Hyuuga leader himself.

"Is it true that there will be a dinner party in this house?" Neji rasped.

Hiashi looked up to meet his breathless nephew's stare. Neji shuddered; that white-blond hair really didn't suit his uncle's features.

"Yes, Neji. A dinner party. We're inviting the Haruno family over."

"Why?"

Hiashi sighed. "It's tradition. When a Hyuuga male finds a partner, a dinner party to honor the union must be held."

"You just made that up."

"No," Hiashi said, shaking his head.

"There's nothing in our Code of Honor that demands a dinner party."

"Well, there wasn't. But there _is_ now."

"You didn't—"

"I just exercised my position as the Hyuuga patriarch to add a line in our Code of Honor."

"_Why_?"

"You know how long I waited for a dinner party, nephew?"

Neji shook his head.

Hiashi roared, "_Thirteen years_!"

**This is what we call out of character. Thus, it's gone. You never see it. Never, you hear me? **

**Moral:** Don't write when you're dead drunk. Or if you absolutely must, don't type with your forehead. Nothing good ever comes out of that.


	4. Lee Investigates

**Seeking Guidance**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13

**Disclaimer:** Under the glare of bright light shone to our faces and a promise of two bowls of katsudon, we hereby confess that we do not own Naruto. There, are you satisfied, officer?

A/N: **Important!** We've revised the previous chapters of Seeking Guidance for better clarity. You may find new booby traps, but that's to be expected. All complaints of injury should be directed to our grubby nannies so they'll at least have something to do besides spanking our collective hinds all day.

Because someone asked: Seeking Comfort and Seeking Guidance may contain spoilers up to chapter 246. So, if you don't know where Sasuke went….can't help you there, babe.

* * *

  
Chapter Four: Lee Investigates

It wasn't his intention to spread rumors, really. The situation made him do it. If back then he had not needed the money so badly, he wouldn't have had accepted the offer from Konoha Shinbun. And now—now if Sakura had not threatened to sic an undoubtedly vengeful Hyuuga Neji, whom Shino secretly referred as Mr. Death between the pages of his diary, he wouldn't have found himself here. Here of course was inside the closet, surrounded by his shirts, pants, and chirpy bugs.

Damn chirpy,cheerful_, ignorant_ bugs who didn't know that their lord and master would be dead if he could not deliver an article Haruno Sakura (a.k.a Mrs. Death) had commissioned the day before by twelve o'clock today.

Twelve o'clock. Three hours to go.

Write it, send it, and have it printed. Easy for her to say, Shino thought. There was no doubt that Konoha Shinbun would publish the article without any fuss. The last article had boosted their circulation by an astounding seventy-five percent. He was sure that the public would want more information on Konoha's most popular celebrity couple, especially if it was accompanied with a large, glossy picture he'd managed to take the night before.

In which said large, glossy picture contained an image which would send even the most unromantic slab of stone swooning on its rocky feet.

But Shino didn't have time to elaborate on the image. He had a deadline to catch (and when he said _dead_line, he took it literally). A full-length article or his intestines out sweeping the dusty street.

He'd go with the first choice any day.

- - - - - - - -

"The Hyuugas are such nice people," the wife said. She put a steaming bowl of miso soup in front of her husband who had both hands on his head.

He didn't answer because he was busy feeling sorry for himself. Fifteen cups of sake were taking their toll on his body. He guessed that he'd pissed half of them out, but the remaining alcohol was stubbornly making his life miserable. In the future, he made a mental note to himself, don't ever challenge a certain silver-eyed demon into a drinking contest. Not only he'd lose, but the aftermath was a slice of hell nobody should ever experience unless he was a masochist.

"Honey, I said the Hyuugas are such nice people," his wife repeated. This time she had that tone which he recognized so well. That tone which spoke of a demand for attention, or else he'd be washing his own underwear for a week.

Uh, not good, he decided.

"You're absolutely right, dear," he managed amidst the crazy dance his brain was doing up there.

"Sakura will be very happy when she marries into their family."

"Uh huh." Ah, his poor head. He thought he heard his wife talking about their daughter marrying, but that was impossible. Sakura was too young. She was still a baby, his little girl. Surely he'd misheard…

"And to think that young Neji is so handsome!"

"Uh huh," he replied with the only response his survival instinct could come up with. Now his eyes were twitching madly. The alcohol effect was too much. He didn't remember much about young Neji being handsome, but he did recall a murderous chakra directed at his drinking buddy's back.

Suddenly his brain was doing another round of tap dancing, and he thought he felt some strain on his neck. Maybe he'd caught a cold. He should've known better not to dance naked on the table last night, even though at _that_ moment it seemed like a very good idea, especially since Hiashi started it. Oh, he must really think of his age. With a shaking hand he reached for the bowl of miso soup in front of him…

"I wonder how their babies will look like!"

And dropped it.

- - - - - - - -

"Nephew, I hope you didn't do anything funny to Sakura-chan last night."

The coy statement delivered by the snake himself halted Neji on his tracks. The young Hyuuga was trying to sneak out the house unnoticed, but apparently Hiashi had a knack of locating his favorite subject of ridicule these days. What made Neji couldn't stop thinking was how his uncle could be so mischievous and serious at the same time. Oh, he'd bet his liver that the commentary just now wasn't just a fleeting admonishment. In one sentence, Hiashi had managed to threaten, inquire, and taunt his nephew. Not to mention that it had made Neji a bit flustered. Now _that_ required real skill.

"I escorted Sakura-san home immediately, since her parents were…occupied." Neji was too polite to say that they were actually dead drunk.

"I see. A proper manner befitting a Hyuuga. You've done as expected," Hiashi said, showing no signs of hangover, unlike some of his guests. He must've made a deal with the devil himself.

"Is that all, Hiashi-sama?"

"Well, yes. Give my regards to Sakura-chan."

Neji tried protesting. "I don't intend—"

"Dismissed."

At that final tone, Neji bit his lips. "Yes, sir."

Seeing his nephew resuming his stealth mission, Hiashi couldn't help smirking. _The boy can't wait,_ he thought with a strange fondness, _to meet his girl_. So young, so foolish. Neji still had so much to learn about this side of life in his coming years.

But Hiashi had to admit that he'd never seen his nephew being so passionate about anything until last night. Neji had grabbed Sakura out of the room full of adults who were laughing at them—rescuing her from further humiliation—and sent his uncle a fierce, almost disrespectful glare.

_Hm._

Maybe it was time for that betrothal talk after all. Apparently Haruno-san, the wife, was a very cooperative woman. And as a like-minded person, Hiashi was certain that she wouldn't mind a spring wedding.

Excellent.

- - - - - - - -

He didn't know where he was going. He had been telling the truth when he'd told his uncle that he had no intention of seeing Sakura. Actually, she was the last person on earth he wanted to see right now. He wasn't sure he could face her after last night's…

The memory came back to him. Neji inhaled sharply, bit his lips, and almost blushed.

That had been his first kiss.

Yep. A kiss on the forehead, but a kiss nonetheless. On a girl's forehead.

A _certain girl's_ forehead.

Neji stopped his wandering around downtown Konoha and braced himself the next line of thoughts.

What on earth had he been thinking? What had made him do those things? Had he been infected by the adults' enthusiasm and got caught in the moment? What a lame excuse. He needed better explanation than that. It wasn't like him to show any signs of affection, so why had he done it?

_Because_, a little voice supplied the answer, _you wanted to._

Because she felt soft against you. Because her warmth comforted you. Because of many, many reasons, but mainly because it was her.

"Shut up," Neji muttered to no one in particular. He had been doing a lot of that lately.

_Oh, don't tell me that. You knew what would happen. You knew, didn't you? Remember? Remember how you thought that this damn romance business is…dangerous?_

At that little voice's jeer, Neji had no answer. He remembered well what had happened the night before.

_Your fault. Your fault for not stopping it._

His fault. His fault for letting her make a crack on the walls surrounding his heart. His fault for letting her make a home inside it. There was no longer any protection there. He felt bare.

Ashamed.

Exposed. Weak.

She'd stripped his layers one by one. She'd put into him strange emotions, unsettling feelings.

Unforgivable.

_It's too late,_ the voice sang. _It's too, too, **too** late!_

No.

Not if he could help it.

After all, this whole mess was just pretense, wasn't it?

- - - - - - - -

_  
-10:59 am.-_

Finally.

It was done.

Shino held the manuscript with both ink-splattered hands up in the air and admired the finished work. Underneath the sunglasses he constantly wore, his red-rimmed eyes shone with relief.

It was finished an hour before noon. Shino was ecstatic; not only that his neck was saved, this piece of writing could be considered his best yet. _Amazing_, he thought, _I may be a true genius._

Now, he had better not delay. There was still a matter of delivering this manuscript to the Shinbun's main office. The clock struck eleven sharp and he got out of the closet to smell the air of freedom.

Oh, it was sweet and refreshing. The scent of freedom was a welcoming sensation, a change from the musky, cluttered closet. He could almost smell the flowers in a sun-baked meadow. In fact, he thought he could identify the smell. It smelled, it smelled like—

—_lavender?_

Shino blinked.

All around him the bugs wheezed and collapsed. They _hated_ lavender.

Then it clicked.

_Damn_.

His mother had just sprayed his room again.

- - - - - - - -

The youthful Rock Lee jumped from roof to roof with his signature agility. Despite the vivid green coloring he preferred, his figure blurred so fast it resembled only a flicker of image. He was in a stealth mission, stalking a very important personage.

His target? Haruno Sakura, chuunin, apprentice of Tsunade—Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure—and most recently, Hyuuga Neji's girlfriend.

The last title irked him. Ironically it was also the cause of his mission.

Lee was extra careful hiding his chakra, putting much of effort on the task. He wasn't very good at it, but he was learning. He realized that this type of mission required more ninjutsu than it would ever be expected from him, the taijutsu specialist. Not for the first time he wished that he had more talent.

_Sakura-san looked so pretty_, he thought, _so sweet. A girl as remarkable as her doesn't deserve an ogre like Neji._

Lee sighed with admiration. Why couldn't he be her boyfriend? He'd lavish her with attention, buy her little trinkets, hold her hands, and maybe—

—oh, kiss her?

It took all of Lee's self-control to not burst into hysteric giggles on the top of somebody's roof. Putting both hands to cover his widely grinning face, Lee leapt from one building to the next. However, despite his best attempt to stay quiet, he failed miserably as some noises, which sounded suspiciously like happy snorts, escaped him.

Luckily for Lee, Sakura didn't notice anything unusual as she strolled along one of Konoha's busiest street. It was market day. Numerous peddlers and stall owners had occupied the one-mile-long strip of the city. A basket dangling from one arm, she stopped on several different stalls, bargaining and purchasing fresh vegetables and fruits. Some sellers hailed her, recognizing who she was from the recent publicized photograph. Sakura graciously evaded the inquiries on her supposed relationship, only smiling and waving as they continued to offer their hard-earned advices on romance and good housekeeping.

While Lee was keeping a close observation on Sakura, another figure came walking down towards her from the other side of the street. Before she saw him, she had felt his presence and responded to it. With a bright smile on her face, she ran and started waving.

"Neji!"

Lee froze. His rival's coming was unforeseen.

The boy whose name was called only nodded an acknowledgment, but it didn't deter the kunoichi. She approached his side and began to chat with him.

"I didn't expect to see you today," she began.

Lee, being able to move again, found himself a nice hidden position to observe. He was pretty sure that not even Neji could detect his presence in a market full of people. Furthermore, there was no reason for him to be suspicious at all.

Neji didn't reply; he seemed to be preoccupied with something. Noticing this, Sakura stopped talking and took her place beside him. They walked in a companionable silence, the event of last night clearly in their minds.

She tried again. "Thank you for walking me home last night."

Hearing this, Lee lost his grip and almost fell off the roof. His nose bumped the red tiles and he winced. _What did she say?_

"It's my duty," Neji replied. He wasn't looking at her when he said that.

"Regardless, I just want to say thanks," said Sakura. _There is something different about Neji today,_ she thought.

"You're welcome."

"My parents think highly of you, especially my mother," she admitted. "She thinks that you're a fine young shinobi."

"Thank you."

"They had a lot of fun last night," she continued her chatter.

"Hmm." He still wasn't looking at her.

"I think they got home around three or four. My dad was singing an old ballad on top of his lungs."

"That's nice."

"And I think my mom was his background singer." She giggled.

"Hn."

"The neighbors weren't too happy, I can guarantee that!" she ended.

"Hmm."

"I bet you are ignoring me for a purpose so I'll just take a hike then," said Sakura, walking away from him. Her tone had not even changed.

He reacted too slowly.

He had let her walk a few steps before he realized his mistake and caught up, touching her elbow. "Wait," Neji said to her in a low voice. "We need to talk."

She shook his hands off. "Don't—"

"Listen to me," he persisted.

She kept on walking, trying to break away from his grip. "Let go, Neji."

"No," he said, "Sakura—"

She pushed him back and broke free. Half-running, she distanced herself as far as possible from the boy whose next sentence might be her unhappiness. Oh, how she wished to hit him with the basket!

"Please."

The single word stopped her. She hadn't expected that.

Sakura turned around and stared into his eyes. At least he didn't look away. At least now he didn't ignore her. Even though his face was a careful mask of calm, she knew he was thinking furiously.

"Okay," she said, her voice slightly trembled. "I'll listen."

Neji almost sighed with relief. The last thing he wanted was a scene in the middle of the busy street, in a broad daylight.

He cleared his throat and began walking. "Let's go somewhere else."

"Fine," she replied and said nothing else as she followed him.

All the while, their exchange didn't escape Lee's keen scrutiny. He saw everything. Only one thought came to his mind.

_Bingo._

- - - - - - - -

"Kid," the editor of Konoha Shinbun said from behind his desk, "you're the best."

The boy whom he was talking to only adjusted his sunglasses and nodded.

_He isn't much a talker,_ the editor thought, _but his stories are gold_. He leafed through the final draft of that day's afternoon edition. "I can put your story on the first page."

"And the photo?" Shino asked.

"And the photo," the older man said with a smile. "Believe me when I say that you're gonna get handsomely paid for both."

Shino didn't immediately reply. He took a deep breath and said, "Good."

- - - - - - - -

They reached a clearing near the outskirts of Konoha. Nobody had said anything since they had walked from the center of the city. The tension between them was palpable, but none was willing to make the first move.

Somewhere in the shadows, Rock Lee kept a safe distance from the couple. He hid himself behind a large tree and waited. There was an excitement bubbling in his heart.

There was no wind that day. The air crackled with heat and life slithered, sluggish. Even the branches of trees seemed to droop in defeat. Sun rays entered through the canopy of leaves in a different plane of reality, moving and blinding. Drops of sweat found their way down the skin. Heartbeats thumped rhythmically. They were bathed in light. Everything was painfully clear.

Finally Neji opened his mouth.

"We must end this."

And time stopped.

* * *

To be continued

* * *

neonate's thoughts:

Hi there, loves. All around apologies for the delay that took forever. The best answer to the question as of why we haven't been updating for months is our running away from the giant question mark. Diplomatic speech is so not our strength. Go figure.

Any complaints, comments, criticisms, and non-life-threatening threats will be appreciated and pondered upon. Thank you for your infinite patience. It means a lot to us.


	5. Shino Still Gossips

**Seeking Guidance**

Joint project of BullyKilla and neonate  
Rating: PG-13

**Disclaimer:** Naruto and its characters belong to Kishimoto. No more fancy disclaimers for a series that has jumped the shark. Too much pain.

**A/N**: Gosh, the last update was October last year. At least it hasn't hit the one-year mark (was totally going for it, though). My deepest gratitude to the readers and reviewers who keep supporting this story, even when I was _this_ close to forsaking it. Your kind words tell me that this story has hope. However, my humblest apologies as well to those irked and annoyed by the insane inactivity. Now I guess you want reasons (or blood, I can't tell). Visit the profile page for the full-blown, verbose angst. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!

* * *

_Finally Neji opened his mouth. _

"_We must end this."_

_And time stopped._

* * *

Chapter Five: Shino Still Gossips

Time did stop.

Only to run its course again when Sakura's fingers clutched the front of Neji's shirt and twisted the fabric. She pulled him close, her face a mix of confusion and hurt, searching for explanations from the silver gleams.

He let her. His gaze were steady, the perfect false mirror.

The kunoichi did not say anything. Her lips pursed, she swallowed the question she was dying to ask_. Why? Why end it?_

The truth was she did not want to hear his answer. If there was the slightest chance that he was dissatisfied with _her_, Sakura didn't think she could ever look at him or herself the same again. The only thing she could do was to hold on, for as long as he allowed her. No tears. Kunoichi don't shed tears. Not even when their hearts break into pieces. A kunoichi has to be strong, a kunoichi has to be smart. She has to be able to see beyond what's there.

It was getting unbearable for her, but it was as bad for him.

The words coming out of his mouth could not be more poisonous than the silence she kept. Neji was expecting anger, disappointment, breezy denial, anything but _this_. She had not said a thing, she had not pounded him into a bloody pulp, and she had not burst emotionally. Neji took a deep breath, controlling the sudden urge to run. He wanted to avoid her eyes, for if he kept looking at them he feared he would blurt out the truth.

Suddenly her whole body swayed toward him and her head rested softly on his chest, her hand still holding his shirt. He stifled a gasp. Instinctively he grabbed her waist and steadied them both.

"Sakura?" he called.

Neji tried to touch her face, but she buried herself deeper on his chest. "No," she said. "Don't."

His fingers itched. She was _so_ close…

"Sakura." He sighed.

"Fifty-nine," she began the countdown. "Fifty-eight. Fifty-seven. Fifty-six—"

Neji was taken aback. Why was she counting? He shook her shoulder gently. "What are you doing?"

"I'm giving _us_, if there were such a thing," she answered bitterly, "another minute."

He stiffened. That wasn't the answer he wanted to hear at this point.

"So," she said, her voice breaking, "don't say anything and let me... do this." He heard her sniffle. "After one minute ends, I don't know you."

He choked. "Sakura—"

"Fifty-two, fifty-one…," she raced down the numbers.

Something ached inside of him. His heart, maybe, if it hadn't turned into stone already. It was only a pretense, he reminded himself. She didn't have to get so attached, so trusting of the lies. After all it was only a front, a façade to fool everybody else. They had been strangers before; they could still go back being strangers. Even if he would think about her for a long, long time, it could be done.

"—forty-seven, forty-six—"

Less than a minute. He could do it. This was nothing. He was a prodigal shinobi of the Hidden Village of Leaf—had cheated death many, many times, had been hurt worse, had bled more.

The hand clutching his shirt trembled. Neji was about to pull her closer when he caught himself in time. _No, not good_. He shook his head slightly and looked up at the sky. A shadow of a bird flew by and he squinted when the sun hit his face. It had been bright and sunny like this when they had first collided on the Hokage's rooftop one strange summer day, several weeks ago.

"—forty-two, forty-one—"

There had been no wind that day as well. The heat was scorching, the air scented of dust. Exactly the same. But back then, he wasn't holding her like this, she wasn't counting toward the end, and they were not about to go their separate ways.

"—thirty-eight, thirty-seven—"

They had been laughing, hadn't they? He'd said a lot of nonsense, she'd taken them with glee, and somehow the whole thing had seemed right. _She_ felt right. The jokes, the walks, the hand-holding, the whispers, the stares, the heap of food she'd forced down his throat, everything.

He shook his head again.

A minute, eh?

Somehow _that_ didn't feel right.

And his mouth ran ahead of him again. "Why only a minute?" he asked, his tone offended.

She stopped counting and lifted up her face. Her brilliant green eyes curiously looked at his own silver. "Why do you care?" she whispered the question, cocking her head to the side.

"Because." He paused. "Because that's a bit too short, don't you think?" he said and regretted it immediately.

Neji wanted to hit himself. He wasn't gonna say _that_!

"Well, no," Sakura said, her eyes glinting. "In fact it's a bit too long."

"Too long?" Neji repeated out of bruised ego, completely forgetting that he was supposed to act tough and that wasn't his intention to sound petulant. "How come it's _too_ _long_?" He scowled.

"Because I should not waste precious seconds just to be with someone who doesn't like me," she said, her gaze boring into his.

"I never said I don't—"

Sakura cut his reply short. "—or with someone who's too _scared_ to admit that he likes me," she said with finality.

That silenced him. "I am not… afraid," he finally muttered.

"Could've fooled me," she said with a hint of smile. She did not want to point out to Neji that his hands were still on her back and waist. Let him figure that out by himself.

He frowned and thought for a while. "You're tricking me, aren't you?"

"No way, you're too smart for me."

"See? You're doing it again," he accused.

"All right. The truth is, I think you're really, really dumb," she said. "And ignorant, dishonest, stubborn, arrogant, _infuriating_—"

"I think I like it better when you're tricking me," he quickly pronounced.

"—an absolutely wretched boyfriend material, but I'm willing to stand all of those," she continued, still looking into his eyes.

He didn't know what to say to her statement except a hoarse, "Why?"

And the hint of smile on her face blossomed into a stunning one.

"Because you're worth it, Neji."

* * *

Unknown to the couple, on the ground behind an old and tall tree, quietly hidden by bushes and wild grass several feet away from them, there was an imprint of a pair of shoes. It was a fresh one, slightly damp, as if one had sprinkled water while making the impression on the soil. The owner of that shoeprint had been hiding there for some time. 

But he, tear-streaked, had left when the pink-haired girl reached forty-five on her countdown.

He had not needed fifteen seconds to know that she was in love.

It just had taken him a while to accept that she'd fallen for the wrong guy. No, maybe it would take him more than a lifetime to do so, but fifteen seconds had been enough for the heartbreak.

And as he sped across the forest, face wet, trying to get away from that place as far as possible, one thought crossed Rock Lee's mind.

_Ah, it hurts._

* * *

Neji still didn't know what to say. It wasn't the first time, he realized, and it sure wouldn't be the last as long as he was around this girl. She said the most outrageous things, did the most life-changing things to him—all without batting her eyelashes. He was worth it, she'd said, and her body was still leaning against his. He felt a lump in his throat. His mind was torn between gently rejecting her and keeping his composure, or forcefully opening his heart and exposing all. 

It was a dangerous bet, but she was a dangerous opponent. He decided to tread slowly, even though his heartbeats were anything but slow.

Neji held the hand that was still holding onto his shirt. "It is supposed to be a pretense."

"I know." Sakura nodded. _His hand is so warm_, she thought. He had always been warm. No wonder she wasn't ready to let him go.

"Until everything dies down."

"Uh huh."

"Then I'm going to dump you."

"Well, that's where you get ahead of yourself," she snapped. "_I'm_ doing the dumping, not you."

He looked gruffly surprised. "Why can't I do it?"

"Because you'll do it for the most idiotic reasons," she said. "Like I steal your kunai or something."

"Kunai's important!" Neji was indignant.

"See? That's why you're _not_ doing the dumping," she said triumphantly.

"Fine," he said, even though he was still smarting from the fact that she considered him incompetent in dumping his own girlfriend. "Then when are you going to do it?"

"When do you want me to?" she asked back.

That wasn't exactly the reply he'd been expecting. And what should he answer now? He couldn't possibly say, oh, how about Thursday at four o'clock? Afternoon snack and all. Good times!

Seeing her boyfriend's silence, she asked again, "Neji, when?"

He suddenly knew the answer. "That's a trick question, isn't it?" he asked with a straight face.

She sighed in exasperation. "I _did_ say you're ignorant—"

"Wait," the Hyuuga prodigy declared. "It's not fair to ask me that question. When do _you_ want to dump me?"

"Never," she said in a soft voice. "But I'm biased because it stopped being an act a long time ago for me."

He was touched by her honesty. "Sakura…"

"It's okay if you're not going to say it. It's even all right if you are only humoring me," she said hurriedly, looking at their intertwined fingers. "But don't say something stupid like the one you said before, as if you can't stand being with me."

Neji knew defeat when he saw one. This was one he would not fight to the death. He touched her face with his other hand. "You make it impossible for people not to like you, Haruno."

"It's funny." She let out a hoarse laugh. "One boy from a lifetime ago doesn't think so."

He knew who she was referring to. The missing genin, the unspoken survivor of a great clan, the person Neji almost died trying to rescue. Was she still harboring feelings for him?

"That boy," he said coldly, parting their bodies apart, "is long gone."

"Will you be?" she asked, reaching for his sleeve. "If you really want to leave this relationship, then leave. But if you are having even the slightest doubt, I'll fight for you."

As she said that, her green eyes fierce, he could see that she was dead serious. This kunoichi knew what she wanted. She was strong and she would strive to gain it. And—this was where Neji felt a light blush coming—she had just told him that her feelings were real. Even he (the king of socially-challenged teenagers) knew that it had been a rather straightforward confession.

He wanted to laugh. There were no lies. He didn't know when, but all of their pretenses had been abandoned. Probably from the moment they'd first held hands it had become obsolete. Right now, he felt like a ten shinobi in one. _With_ a kunai. That was a strangely addictive feeling he could enjoy.

"Sakura?"

"Yeah, Neji?"

"I think this will answer your question."

After saying that, he closed the distance between them and covered her lips with his own. This time they would not be interrupted and they would not play it meekly. There was hunger—good, honest hunger—and the feeling of euphoria with every meeting of their skin. And because they were brave, they would give everything to follow this sensation. Their hearts, their youths, their souls. When yearning came, they were more than ready to be swept away.

She was his. He was hers.

It was so right.

* * *

The revised evening edition of Konoha Shinbun began selling like hot crackers just when the sky turned into a blast of sunset colors. Within fifteen minutes, newspaper stalls were crying out for more since their supplies were vanishing like mad. People were buying (and some stealing) the edition at an unbelievable rate. All vied for the latest news, the freshest of the freshest from Konoha Shinbun's desk. Word of the mouth was, the elusive Ardent Shinobi had struck again, and they all knew what this meant! 

While everybody who could read was busy absorbing every word of the article on the front page, those who couldn't only gawk in awe at the glossy picture accompanying the exclusive report.

The image was kind of dark, but you could see a fine young man wearing a formal robe and an exquisite young woman in her best kimono. The background scenery was obscured, though nobody would pay attention to it. The young man was holding the young woman close, one hand on her waist, the other on her cheek. Even with the dim lighting, there would no mistaking the kiss he was planting very lovingly on her forehead.

Dreamy sighs escaped lips of teenage girls and light bulbs of ideas were twinkling brightly in some boys' minds. Wives remembered their younger days with fond blushes and husbands reminisced their times spent conquering the maidens.

One boy, however, browsed the article with cold detachment, for he had written it himself not several hours ago. The content was still fresh in his mind and Aburame Shino felt a raw sense of pride upon reading it line by line.

_**Night of the Fireflies**_

_By **A**rdent **S**hinobi_

_Nighttime is the hours we seek rest and sanctuary from the harshness of the day. Summer nights, however, are made for the outdoor fun—lighting fireworks, gazing at the stars, or sitting on the riverbanks, to name a few. And if you're lucky, you may find more than just fun._

_Love may come along._

_Last night, illuminated only by the glow of fireflies and serenaded by the crooning of summer cicadas, one Hyuuga Neji was seen giving a silk-wrapped gift to his beloved flower, Haruno Sakura. This romantic event took place at the Hyuuga estate's garden pond, during a dinner party held for the couple._

_While the rest of the residents were in festive mood, the lovebirds decided to steal some time to be together. Apparently it was the correct decision to make, since whatever curio the Hyuuga prodigy procured for his companion, it earned him a very, shall we say, affectionate embrace from her. At this point, even the dim glow of the fireflies could not hide the blush on the stoic Hyuuga's face._

_Oh, have we been granted a private glimpse of the red thread that connects them?_

_As informed by a very credible source, there is a speculation that the young couple may have been promised to each other as last night's feast bloomed into a merry celebration. There certainly were encouraging hints of their future together, the source confided, since it was a rare occasion for the noble Hyuuga household to offer their hospitality, let alone to such a grand extent!_

_Does this mean that we will soon become witnesses to another celebration of a different cause? A betrothal? Or even, perhaps, a wedding? If so, I will be very pleased to have been a part of their courtship, as, I'm sure, so will you. _

_Until then, we shall wait and see._

_**A. S.**_

* * *

To Be Continued

* * *

**A/N:** Fluff? What fluff? –whistles innocently- As always, you're welcome to give constructive criticism. This chapter is unbeta-ed, yadda, yadda. Okay, that's done. Who's watching Avatar: The Last Airbender? Raise your hand! (oh, me, me, _me_!) 


End file.
